Wind instrument



.my 23,1935. l C. L..DEwEY` 2,008,900

WIND INSTRUMENT Filed March 26, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 1 July 23, 1935. QL, DEWEY 2,008,90()

WIND INSTRUMENT Filed MaIQh 26, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented JulywLas, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application' March 26,

6 Claims.

The features of the present invention are directed primarily to thevalve construction of wind vinstruments such as trumpets, cornets or thelike, in .which iinger valves are provided for controlling the pitch ofthe tones.

Heretofore it has been customary to construct the valve casings of sheetmetal or tubes cut and fabricated to the desired form, but the object ofthe present invention is to so design the casing llo that it may beformed integrally by die casting methods, with the exception of the headplates, which, however, are likewise formed integrally, thereby reducingthe cost of production and insuring exact accuracy in dimensions anduniformity in the product.

The invention further relates to the arrangement of the three valvestems provided with the customary finger buttons, which are sopositioned as to best conform to the natural movements or the player,which result is accomplished by placing'the row of three finger buttonsin arcuate ar-i rangement which better accommodates the grouparrangement of the three ngers of the players hand, including the middlefinger which is naturally longer than the index finger and the thirdfinger, so that by the arrangement mentioned the tips of the ngers willlie naturally and easily upon the finger buttons, which is not the casewhere the buttons are arranged in straight align= 3o ment which is thecustomary or conventional practice.

The invention further relates to the means provided for adjusting andlocking one of the slides in such a way as to limit the normal movementof the slide and at the saine time to permit more accurate tuning asoccasion may require,

Further objects and details will appear from a description of theinvention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,-

Figure l is a side elevation of a wind instrument embodying the featuresof the present m Vention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective detail showing the ad justing bar for one of theslides;

v Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the head plate for the valve casingtaken on line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of theinstrument;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the valve casing with theplungers in position; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The features of the present invention are applied to an instrument whichin the main is of conventional form and includes a mouth piece it, aprimary tube section H, and a secondary tube 1934, seri-a1 No. 717,328

section I2 terminating in the usual bell-shaped mouth I3.

The primary tube section at its inner end has telescoped thereinto oneof the legs of a U-shaped tubular slide I4, the other leg of whichtelescopes into a tube section l5 connecting with the valve casing I6presently to be d..scribed.

'Ihe secondary tube section i2 has its forward or reduced end Ilrecurved and entered into the valve casing, thus in general completingthe circuit from the mouth piece to the bell.

The valve casing, which more particularly constitutes the subject matterof the present invention, is preferably constructed to afford a bodyportion i8 integrally formed by suitable die casting process andprovided with three cylindrical bores it, 2l, which may be convenientlyreferred to as the rst, second and third bores, and which constitute thecylinders within which operate the piston valves' 22, 23, 2li.

The valves are provided with the usual air passages but since thepresent invention is not concerned with any peculiar formation of thesepassages, it is not deemed necessary to describe them in detail, sincethey follow the conventional practice in location and arrangement.

Each of the piston valves is of elongated cylindrical formation and isslightly reduced in diameter at its upper end by the provision of ashoulder 2G; Each of the piston valves at its upper end is preferablyprovided with a square socket 2li for the reception of a square valvestem 23 which operates through a square aperture 29, which arrangementserves to prevent rotative movement of the piston valves, which isnecessary in order to maintain the passages in proper relation to theports with which they oo-operate. Each of the valve stems 2t is securedin place by a cross pin 30 and eac'h of the valve stems carries a:finger button dl at its upper end.

The apertures 29 are formed through an integral cap plate @il which iscommon to the three valve bores, and is provided on its inner surfacewith properly spaced bosses 33 which t snugly into the ends of therespective bores. The cap plate is held in place by screws 3d which areentered through the cap plate and into the intermediate walls 35 of thevalve casing, thereby closing the upper ends of the bores and holdingthe pistons in properly adjusted relation.

Each oi the pistons at its lower end is provided with a recess 3S whichreceives the upper end of a coil spring 3l, the lower end of which bearsagainst a cap plate 38 which is in all respects a duplicate of the capplate 32, so that the cap plates at each end are interchangeable onewith the other. l

The arrangement of the cylinder bores with respect to one another isbest illustrated in Fig. 6, from which it will be noted that the secondor intermediate bore stands in offset relation to the other two, so thatas viewed from above the three finger buttons 3l will stand in arcuaterelation to one another, the intermediate button occupying a positionslightly more distant from the palm of the players hand than the twoothers in order to accommodate the greater length of the middle nger, sothat with the arrangement shown the tips of the index, middle and thirdfingers will lie evenly upon the three buttons without the necessity fornormally lifting orbowing the middle nger for the purpose of bringingthe middle linger tip into alignment with the other two finger tipswhich is necessitated by the conventionalarrangement heretofore observedof arranging the finger buttons in straight alignment with one another.

-The valve casing is provided on its forward end wall with a rearknuckle 39 ofl elbow-shape, which is shouldered at the point lll] toreceive the recurved end l'l of the secondary tube section l2, which isclosely iittedinto the end of the knuckle and into -abutting relationwith the shoulder J and is soldered in position to bring the tubesection into communication'with a curving bore il through the interiorof the knuckle and in communication with the bore i9.

The casing is further provided with a lower knuckle d2 and an upperknuckle i3-which stand 'in superposed relation and are similarlyshouldered to receive the femaletube sections lll and :d5 of a U-shapedslide valve having legs i6 and dered knuckles i5 and 5@ which receivethe female tubesections 5l and 52 of a slide valve 53, the legs 56 ofwhich slidably co-operate with the tube sections vi9 and 5G in the usualmanner. The knuckle i8 communicates with the third valve bore through aport 55, while each of the knuckles i9 and 5U4 is provided with a portV55.

The valve casing is further ,provided with upper and lower knuckles 5land 58 which communicate with the second bore 2li and are shouldered toreceive the female tube sections 59 olf' a slide valve mthe legs Si ofwhich reciprocate within the tube sections.

The valve casing abovedescribed is provided' vwith ports 62 .and @3'Awhich establish communication between the respective bores, and in ordering is extended to afford bosses 6d and 65 Iwhich of an vintegralconstruction.

to facilitate the^casting operation the valve casare obliquely bored toalign, with the ports t2` and 63 and are provided with plugs 66 whichwhen inserted give the casing the characteristics The slide'valve lli,which `connects the tubev ll with the tube l5, is provided with a baseAblock 6l which receives alocking screw 68 entered .through an outerslot; 69 in a slide bar l0 provided of each of the slots. Thearrangement isone which permits the slide bar to be adjusted withrelation to the slide valve, and thereafter locked in position to limitthe outward draw of the slide valve to the regulation distance. Whereaccurate tuning is required, the locking screw 68 may be loosened andfthe slide valve adjusted to the degree required to properly tune theinstrument.l

It will be understood that the particular arrangement of slide valvesand passages shown serves merely by way of exempliiication and that theprinciples of the present invention may find embodiment in numerousvariations in detail, depending upon the particular kind or style ofwind instrument to which the valve mechanism is applied and the intendedrelationship of the passages to secure the kind or quality of toneintended.

By forming the valve casing in the manner described, itis possible by asingle casting operation to furnish the cylinders required for theoperation of the three pistons with the knuckles `required for makingattachment of the tubing to the valve casing and to insure exactdimensions in the parts and passages composing the casing, withoutpossibility of leakage, so that instruments built in conformity with theprinciples of the present invention can be cheaply constructed withoutisacrifice of tone, and uniformity in the character and quality of theproduct obtained, in greater degree than is possible where the valvecasings are fabricated in the usual manner.

By casting the head -plates 32--38 for the valve casing in the mannerdescribed, the` plates can be used interchangeably either at the top orbottom, and when used at lthe bottom the apertures 29 serve to admit airbeneath the piston valves as the same return under the action of thesprings, so that no other special provision for the air is required.

By squaring the valve stems Z8, the piston valves are held againstrotative movement without the l necessity for providing additionalsafeguards against maladjustment, and the method of uniting the partstogether is one which permits of the three pistons being readilyassembled in relation to the head plate and the three parts thusassembled to be introduced as a unit in the valve` tion and will befirmly and rigidly/ heldin positionI to permit easy and accurateoperation of the slide valves'.

' The construction is one which aiords ample rigidity to maintain theparts in proper working relation andl to prevent binding, crampingormaladjustment of the movable parts. As shown, the

lexterior wall of the casing mayA be paneled or 4otherwise configured orembellished to alford an attractive andv ornamental appearance, and thecastingscan be made of suitable alloys of alumivnum or other lightmetal, `so that the weight of `-intended tube sections so that thelatter will t *Y exactly into* the spaces provided for their retenboresand provided with air passages, knuckles integrally formed on the valvecasing and having the tube sections entered thereinto, an integrallyformed head plate at each end of the cylinder bores constituting aclosure for the proximate ends of the bores, the head plate at the topof the casing being provided with a squared aperture for each of thecylinder bores, a squared valve stem connected with eachof the pistonsand entered through the corresponding aperture, and a finger button oneach of the valve stems.

2. In a wind instrument of the class described, the combination of tubesections for the discharge of air, valve means interposed between saidtube sections and consisting of a cast valve casing provided with aplurality of bores furnishingvcylinders, piston means slidably mountedwithin said bores and provided with air passages, knuckles integrallyformed on the valve casing and having the tube sections enteredthereinto, an integrally formed vhead plate at each end of the cylinderbores constituting a closure for the proximate ends of the bores, eachof said head plates having bosses entered into the bores, screw meansfor attaching the head plates to the valve casing, the head plate at thetop of the casing being provided with a squared aperture for each of thecylinder bores, a squared valve stem connected with each of the pistonsand entered through the corresponding aperture, and a linger button oneach of the valve stems.

3. In a wind instrument, the combinationV oi tube sections, a cast valvecasing into which the tube sections are entered, said casing being coredto provide three valve cylinders, the middle cylinder being olsetinwardly with respect to the other two cylinders, pistons within therespective cylinders, a cast head plate for the upper ends of all threecylinders, said head plate being provided with three squared aperturesone for each cylinder, squared valve stems slidably mounted within saidapertures, and finger buttons on the ends of the said valve stems, themiddle button being inwardly oiset to accommodate the I greater lengthof the players middle finger.

1 -In a wind instrument, the combination 0i tube sections, a cast valvecasing into which the tube sections are entered, said casing being coredto provide three valve cylinders, the middle cylinder being oisetinwardly with respect to the other two cylinders, pistons within therespective cylinders, a cast head plate for the upper ends of all threecylinders, said head plate being provided with three squared aperturesone for each cylinder, squared valve stems slidably mounted within saidapertures, finger buttons on the ends of the said valve stems, themiddle button being inwardly offset to accommodate the greater length ofthe players middle finger, and a similarly formed cast head plate forthe lower ends of the cylinders.

5. In a wind instrument, the combination of tube sections, a cast valvecasing into which the tube sections are entered, said casing being coredto provide three valve cylinders, the middle cylinder being odsetinwardly with respect to the other two cylinders, pistons within therespective cylinders, a cast head plate for the upper ends of all threecylinders, said head plate being provided with three apertures, one foreach cylinder, valve stems slidably mounted within said apertures, andlinger buttons on the ends of said valve stems, the middle button beinginwardly offset to accommodate the greater length of the players middlefinger.

6. In a wind instrument, the combination of tube sections, a cast valvecasing into which the tube sections are entered, said casing being coredto provide three valve cylinders, the middlecylinder being offsetinwardly with respect to the other two cylinders, pistons within therespective cylinders, a'cast head plate for the upper ends or all threecylinders, said head plate being provided with three apertures, one foreach cylinder, valve stems slidably mounted within said apertures, andfinger buttons on the ends of said valve stems, the middle button beinginwardly oiset to accommodate the greater length of the players middlefinger, and a similarly formed cast head plate for the lower ends of thecylinders.

CLARENCE L. DEWEY.

